The main political parties have picked the candidates they hope will be MP for Hertford and Stortford after the next General Election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated he expects to go to the country “in the second half” of this year. The latest date for a poll is January 28, 2025.
In the meantime, the Indie has invited the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green Party and Reform UK hopefuls to introduce themselves to our readers before the campaign proper begins. Over the coming months, with a column every two or three weeks, they will be trying to connect with the electorate.
Our brief to all five was “not to parrot your party’s national position, but take the opportunity to tell our readers – your voters – about your personal principles” and talk about local, national and international issues. We also included a caution not to ignore “the elephant in the room”, and to address controversies affecting their party openly and honestly.
Cllr Josh Dean, Labour candidate and a member of Hertford Town Council, writes…
Like many of our residents, I’ve relied on our rail services to commute to work, visit friends and family, and travel across the country.
But anyone who uses our trains regularly will know that the railway isn’t working.
Cancellations are at record levels, fares have risen twice as fast as wages and taxpayers are paying to prop up a failing system.
I’m pleased that Labour has announced plans to get our rail network moving and deliver the biggest overhaul to Britain’s railways in a generation.
We’ll put the passenger first with a best-price ticket guarantee, automatic delay and cancellation repayments, and digital season tickets across the network.
Establishing Great British Railways, we’ll bring private train services into public ownership, taking contracts back into public hands as they reach their end, so taxpayers don’t have to pay a penny in compensation to companies that have already made a fortune off commuters.
We won’t be marking our own homework.
Great British Railways will be run by experts, not politicians, and held to account by a tough new watchdog to make sure services are efficient and passengers get value for money.
Labour recognises that it will take hard graft, but it will be our mission to fix our railways for the benefit of passengers and taxpayers.
In a commuter-belt community like ours, this couldn’t be more essential.
As your local MP, I will work hard to ensure that the views of local people are properly communicated to Labour in government so that Great British Railways can deliver the rail services that our residents in Hertford and Stortford deserve.
I’m keen to hear the views of residents on our local rail services, especially those who are regular commuters.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by emailing joshdeanuk@gmail.com.